Recipes Diets we supportDiets Start your planStart plan

Seared Salmon With Creamed Spinach

Crisp-skinned salmon fillets rest over a garlicky creamed spinach made lighter with ricotta and parmesan, a low-carb pescatarian dinner that comes together in one skillet.

By Camille McLaughlin, RDN, LD, registered dietitian nutritionist

Built forPescatarianDinner
Also fits Low-Carb Keto
Salmon skin crackles in the hot skillet and stays crisp under the fillet even once it goes over the spinach. Ten cups of spinach cook down to a garlicky tangle held together with ricotta and parmesan, and lemon squeezed in at the end keeps all that cream from sitting heavy.
↓ Jump to Recipe

Why You'll Love This Recipe

This is the dinner for a weeknight when you want something that feels like a restaurant plate but only dirties one pan. It is forgiving enough for a cook who is still nervous about fish, and generous enough to feel like a real dinner. Everything happens in about half an hour, and the salmon and spinach share the same skillet, so cleanup is quick and the flavors carry from one step to the next.

Searing the salmon skin-side down in a hot, dry pan renders the fat under the skin and crisps it, which keeps the fillet from sticking and gives you a real textural contrast. Cooking the spinach in that same pan means the onion and garlic pick up the browned bits left behind. Ricotta and parmesan stand in for heavy cream, so the greens turn silky without a floury sauce, and lemon keeps the whole thing bright.

A fillet of salmon over creamed spinach is the kind of plate that leaves you full without feeling heavy. The fish brings protein and its own richness, while the spinach adds bulk and a savory, cheesy pull that makes each bite feel like more than a side. Because the fat and protein do the work, you stay satisfied for hours instead of hunting through the cupboard an hour later.

Golden seared salmon fillet resting on a bed of creamy green spinach with a lemon wedge. Save
Prep: 10 minsCook: 20 minsTotal: 30 minsMakes: 4 servingsServing: 1 salmon fillet with about 2.75 cups vegetables

Ingredients

Serves4Amounts change with the number. The nutrition panel is per serving, so it stays the same.
  • 1 1/4 lb salmon fillets (4 pieces)
  • 10 cups fresh spinach
  • 2/3 cup ricotta
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 small onion, diced
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

  1. Prep the fish: Pat the salmon fillets very dry with paper towels and season both sides with half the salt. Dry skin is what gives you a crisp, non-sticking sear, so take an extra minute here.
  2. Sear skin-side down: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high until it shimmers. Lay the fillets skin-side down and press gently for 10 seconds so they stay flat. Cook undisturbed 4 to 5 minutes until the skin is crisp and releases easily.
  3. Finish the salmon: Flip and cook 2 to 4 more minutes, until the thickest part reaches 125 to 130°F (52 to 54°C), which is medium-rare, and the flesh flakes with light pressure. The FDA gives 145°F (63°C) for seafood if you would rather cook it through. Move the fillets to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
  4. Build the base: Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the same skillet, lower the heat to medium, and cook the diced onion 3 minutes until soft. Stir in the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
  5. Wilt and cream the spinach: Add the spinach in handfuls, stirring as each batch wilts down, about 4 minutes total. Stir in the ricotta, parmesan, lemon juice, and remaining salt until glossy and coating the leaves, 1 to 2 minutes.
  6. Plate and serve: Spoon the creamed spinach onto plates and set a salmon fillet on top. Serve right away while the skin is still crisp, with an extra squeeze of lemon if you like.
Nutrition Facts
4 servings per recipe
Serving size1 salmon fillet with about 2.75 cups vegetables
Calories463
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 31g40%
Saturated Fat 8g42%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 96mg32%
Sodium 575mg25%
Total Carbohydrate 7g3%
Dietary Fiber 2g7%
Total Sugars 1g
Includes 0g Added Sugars 0%
Protein 38g
Vitamin D 15.6mcg78%
Calcium 257mg20%
Iron 3.1mg17%
Potassium 1020mg22%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Values are computed from USDA FoodData Central and are estimates. Per serving (1 salmon fillet with about 2.75 cups vegetables).

Variations

  • Dairy-free spinach: Swap the ricotta and parmesan for full-fat coconut cream and a spoonful of nutritional yeast for a creamy, dairy-free version.
  • Add a kick: Stir a pinch of red pepper flakes into the garlic so a little heat runs through the spinach.
  • Shrimp instead of salmon: Skip the fillets and warm a pound of cooked, peeled shrimp in the finished spinach until heated through, about 2 minutes.
  • Herb and caper finish: Scatter chopped dill and a tablespoon of rinsed capers over the plated salmon for a briny, fresh lift.
  • Mushroom boost: Cook 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms with the onion until browned before adding the spinach for extra savory depth.

Storage & Leftovers

Keep leftover salmon and creamed spinach in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Storing them apart keeps the fish from steaming in the warm spinach and going soft, and it makes reheating each one easier without overcooking the salmon.

To reheat, warm the spinach gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of water to loosen it, then add the salmon just at the end to heat through. A low oven at 275°F (135°C) for about 8 minutes also works and keeps the fillet from drying out.

This dish does not freeze well because the ricotta sauce can separate and the salmon texture turns grainy after thawing. If you want to prep ahead, dice the onion, mince the garlic, and grate the parmesan a day early so the cook itself takes only minutes.

Notes & Tips

The first time I nailed a crisp salmon skin was the day I finally stopped poking at it, and now I set a timer and walk away.
  • Dry the skin: I always pat the fillets bone-dry before they hit the pan, because any surface moisture steams instead of sears and the skin never crisps.
  • Let it release: Do not move the salmon while the skin sets; when it is ready it lifts off the pan on its own without tearing.
  • Use a thermometer: An instant-read thermometer takes the guessing out of doneness, and pulling the fish at 125 to 130°F (54°C) keeps it moist.
  • Wilt in batches: Ten cups of raw spinach looks like a lot, so add it by the handful and let each batch shrink before the next.
  • Warm the ricotta gently: Stir the ricotta in over medium, not high, heat so it stays creamy instead of tightening into curds.
  • Save the fond: Do not wipe the skillet between the fish and the spinach; those browned bits carry real flavor into the greens.

Nutrition & Mindful Eating

Crisp-skinned salmon over spinach cooked down with ricotta and parmesan until it is soft and creamy, with lemon squeezed across the whole plate right at the end.
  • Salmon and creamed spinach belong together because they meet in the middle. The fish is rich and firm under a crisp skin, the spinach beneath it is soft and creamy and mild, and the lemon over the top keeps the plate from settling into one heavy note.
  • Salmon is a fatty fish and that is what makes it forgiving, staying moist even after the skin has had long enough in the pan to go properly crisp, and those same fats are the long-chain omega-3s salmon is known for.
  • Ten cups of spinach cook down into a couple of handfuls, which is how this plate carries so much of it, and the leaves go from squeaky and raw to dark and silky in about two minutes, with their folate and iron along for the ride.
  • Ricotta is what makes the spinach creamy, melting into the pan and coating every leaf, and the parmesan stirred in behind it brings the salt and the savory edge, so the greens taste seasoned all the way through rather than dressed on top.
  • Garlic and onion softened in olive oil are the base of the creamed spinach, sweet and mellow by the time the greens hit the pan, and the lemon at the end is the thing that makes the fish taste like fish rather than simply rich.
  • As you eat, break through the crisp skin first and take some of the creamed spinach up with it, then slow down enough to notice the lemon arriving at the end of every bite.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use frozen spinach instead of fresh?

Yes. Thaw a 10-ounce block of frozen spinach and squeeze out as much water as you can before adding it with the ricotta. Because it is already wilted, you can skip the batch-by-batch step and just warm it through.

My salmon skin keeps sticking to the pan. What went wrong?

The skin usually sticks because the fillet went in wet or the pan was not hot enough. Pat the skin fully dry, wait until the oil shimmers, and resist flipping early; the fish releases on its own once the skin is crisp.

Can I make this ahead for meal prep?

The components hold well for up to 3 days stored separately. Cook everything, cool it, and portion the salmon and spinach into containers, then reheat the spinach gently and add the fish at the end so it does not overcook.

Is there any meat or starch on this plate?

Neither. It is seafood and vegetables the whole way through, and nothing starchy sits underneath it, so what fills you is the salmon and the cream-soft spinach.